My First Build - TLA-1Q! Hoping to build a Tuff-Dog Tele

Thanks Dark Mark! I didn’t notice the face until you said it. That is so cool! Part of me wants to just leave it as-is, but I don’t like the glue marks around the edge. I want to cover those.

Fair enough, I wasn’t sure if it was glue or not. You won’t be able to not notice the face now, shame I it will be covered by the bridge

I have been updating my guitar finishing thread daily, but neglecting this one. Just in case it helps others, I am going to add this update to my progress. I am still working on finishing the body and neck before I move on to the final build. Here is my progress so far.

Here are pictures of the posterboard mask I made. I used screws to lift it 1/4in above the guitar body to allow for the burst. I sprayed down and slightly toward the middle of the guitar to get the overspray into the gap in the mask. It came out better than I expected. I used encore brown lacquer from Mohawk to get the look.
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Not bad so far!

Today I cleaned up the binding so that I can continue to spray 3 more coats of Nitro clear coat later. I will do 3 more tomorrow and then let it cure for 2 weeks before final sanding and buffing.
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Here is the custom headstock decal I made. I am not psyched about the way they wrinkled when I sprayed the nitro.
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The pic below is the latest and current state.
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Did you make the decal? You'd need to clear it with the nitro, that wrinkling is a reaction with what ever clear was sprayed over the decal.

Looks to me like the decal is applied to raw wood.
It should go on at least one coat of clear to properly adhere.

cheers, Mark.

Yeah I think you might be right, that would give a similar result.

I did make it. I only sprayed with Nitro, but it was wet with water when I sprayed. Letting it dry out made it curl. I think Mark nailed it, I put it on raw wood. It is now under 8 coats of Nitro so I may live with it until it drives me crazy and then fix it.

Final coat of nitro lacquer is on! Now to wait... This wait may kill me. lol.
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This is why you buy and start another kit guitar, to fill in the gaps when waiting!